The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a branch protector that protects a wire branch portion, and a method of manufacturing a wire harness.
A branch protector disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5217873 is proposed as a related branch protector. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, this branch protector 200 has a branch protector main body 201 having a wire accommodating chamber 201a and a cover 210 attached to the branch protector main body 201.
The wire accommodating chamber 201a is surrounded by a bottom wall 202 and a pair of side walls 203, and the wire accommodating chamber 201a whose upper surface is opened is formed. Two wire draw-out openings 204 are provided at both ends of the pair of side walls 203. A tape winding tongue piece 206 is provided to extend at both ends of the pair of side walls 203. One wire draw-out opening 205 is provided at a center position of one of the side walls 203 (a position between both ends of the side wall 203). A branch line fixing plate 207 is provided to extend at a position where the wire draw-out opening 205 of the one side wall 203 is provided.
A wire branch portion (not illustrated) of a wire W is accommodated in the wire accommodating chamber 201a. One branch line W2 is branched from a trunk line W1 at the wire branch portion. As a result, the two trunk lines W1 and the one branch line W2 extend in different directions from the wire branch portion. The two trunk lines W1 are drawn out to the outside through the wire draw-out opening 204 at both the ends, respectively. The one branch line W2 is drawn out to the outside through the wire draw-out opening 205 at the center position.
The cover 210 closes the upper surface of the wire accommodating chamber 201a in the state of being mounted to the branch protector main body 201. In addition, the wire branch portion is accommodated in the wire accommodating chamber 201a covered with the branch protector main body 201 and the cover 210, thereby protecting the wire branch portion.
The related branch protector 200 is manufactured in a state where the branch protector main body 201 is placed on a jig base. Specifically, the branch protector main body 201 is placed on the jig base in a positioned state. Next, the wire branch portion is accommodated in the wire accommodating chamber 201a. Next, the upper surface of the wire accommodating chamber 201a is closed by the cover 210. Next, a tape T is wound collectively around the tape winding tongue piece 206 and the trunk line W1. Further, the branch line W2 is fixed to the branch line fixing plate 207 by a fastening band 208. The manufacture is completed with this process.
The related branch protector is exemplified in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5217873.